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NOAA will hold three in-person meetings and one virtual meeting for citizens to learn about and comment on its proposal to designate a new national marine sanctuary in eastern Lake Ontario that would recognize the national significance of the area’s historical, archaeological, and cultural resources.
NOAA is proposing a sanctuary in a 1,724 square mile area in eastern Lake Ontario in the state of New York. Sanctuary designation would bring new opportunities for research, educational programming, community engagement, and economic development.
The proposed sanctuary would manage and interpret 43 known shipwrecks and one aircraft representing events spanning more than 200 years of the nation’s history. Archival research suggests an additional 20 shipwrecks, three aircraft, and several other underwater archaeological sites may yet to be discovered. In addition, the sanctuary would highlight the connection to the ancestral lands and waters of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy
The proposal includes the following draft provisions for establishing the sanctuary: boundary, regulations, and the terms of designation. NOAA invites the public to comment on this proposed rulemaking through March 20, 2023.
In January 2017, leaders of four New York counties (Jefferson, Oswego, Cayuga, and Wayne) and the City of Oswego, with support from the Governor of New York, submitted a nomination to NOAA indicating their interest in bringing a national marine sanctuary to the Lake Ontario communities.
Public meeting times and locations:
Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. ET
- Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center
- 26 E. 1st Street
- Oswego, NY 13126
March 1, 2023, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. ET
- Wolcott Elks Lodge No. 1763
- 6161 W. Port Bay Rd
- Wolcott, NY 14590
March 2, 2023, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. ET
- Jefferson Community College
- 1220 Coffeen St.
- Sturtz Theater, Room 4-111
- Watertown, NY 13601
A virtual public meeting will be held Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. ET
Registration: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8861683717081636701
The public can comment on the sanctuary proposal until March 20, 2023, through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. The docket number is NOAA-NOS-2021-0050. A detailed description of the proposed sanctuary can be found on the website for the proposed Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary.
